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Roschke appointed executive director of McGee Applied Research Center for Narrative Studies

Posted by on Monday, October 7, 2024 in News Story, Research.

Kristy Roschke, a renowned expert in media literacy and misinformation, has been named the inaugural executive director of the McGee Applied Research Center for Narrative Studies at Vanderbilt University beginning Oct. 15. Roschke will also hold a faculty appointment in the Program in Communication of Science and Technology in the College of Arts and Science.

Smiling womanThe interdisciplinary McGee Center, which is housed in the College of Arts and Science in close partnership with the Jean and Alexander Heard Libraries, promotes media literacy through a host of resources and programming designed to evaluate the objectivity of news coverage, digital media, and other narratives. The center aims to equip individuals with the necessary skills and knowledge to adeptly navigate and critically assess the dynamic and complex media landscape of the 21st century.

“We are honored to have someone of Kristy’s experience, knowledge, and perspective as the inaugural head of the McGee Center,” said Timothy P. McNamara, Ginny and Conner Searcy Dean of the College of Arts and Science. “She is extremely well-qualified to lead this new center as she develops innovative programming, provides educational opportunities for students, fosters faculty research, and creates resources for the broader community. Given our divisive and often contradictory media landscape, the center plays a more critical role now than ever.”

As executive director, Roschke will provide strategic leadership for all aspects of the McGee Center’s operations, oversee its research initiatives, develop educational programs, and foster collaborations with internal and external stakeholders. She also will manage the expansion of existing campus media resources, including the Vanderbilt Television News Archive—the world’s most complete archive of network television news dating back to 1968 and featuring more than 62,000 hours of transcribed and searchable video content.

“The McGee Center will maximize resources unique to the Heard Libraries, such as the Vanderbilt Television News Archive, as well as the power of advanced data science and analysis to generate new models for collaborative scholarship, digital projects, and trans-institutional research and learning,” said University Librarian Jon Shaw. “We’re delighted to welcome someone of Kristy’s caliber to lead the center as we strive to make media literacy a cornerstone of the Vanderbilt educational experience and to empower a more astute and informed citizenry.”

Through interdisciplinary collaboration, the McGee Center will deepen student and faculty engagement with media information, equip students for lifelong information proficiency, increase faculty research impact, and create opportunities for interdisciplinary experimentation.

Prior to joining Vanderbilt, Roschke served as director of the News Co/Lab at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, an initiative aimed at advancing media literacy through journalism, education, and technology. Her research expertise includes misinformation, media literacy education, digital media, and journalism trust. She has provided subject matter expertise on misinformation, media literacy, and effective communication practices to Meta, the International Medical Corps, and the World Health Organization.

Roschke has led collaborative research and applied projects on spotting and verifying misinformation, public perceptions of local news, social media corrections, and institutional trust. She co-designed a successful online media literacy course that enrolled more than 3,000 participants. Roschke currently serves on the board of the National Association of Media Literacy Education. She earned a bachelor’s in journalism and public relations, a master’s in mass communication and digital media, and a Ph.D. in journalism and mass communication, all from Arizona State University.

“Our media-saturated world can feel very overwhelming at times,” Roschke said. “Though we have more access to information than ever before, many people still feel disconnected from or left out of important conversations. I’m excited about the opportunity for the McGee Center to be at the forefront of examining the narratives shaping our society. In my new role, I look forward to connecting with communities to learn more about their information needs and continuing to foster media literacy education for people of all ages.”

The McGee Center was established with a $5 million gift to the College of Arts and Science from Suzanne Perot McGee, BS’86, and Patrick K. McGee, BS’85. The McGees made the gift on behalf of their family, including son Patrick P. McGee, BA’15; son William McGee, BA’16, and his spouse Eliza Granade McGee, BA’16; and daughter Margot McGee Renehan, BS’19, and her spouse Will Renehan, BA’19.

The center was celebrated earlier this year at a campus event attended by members of the Board of Trust, university leaders, alumni, and invited guests. In addition to the eponymous center, the McGees’ gift supports faculty who teach innovative courses, conduct research, and mentor students exploring narrative studies in the form of class work or Immersion experiences.

The McGee Center will not only encourage innovative scholarship but engage the broader community through events, workshops, and awareness campaigns that promote media literacy. The center will also explore collaborative educational opportunities with campus partners, such as the Vanderbilt Project on Unity and American DemocracyDialogue Vanderbilt, and Studio 608, a creative space in Central Library that gives students distinctive opportunities to explore narrative studies.